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Comment by snarf21 | Hacker News Reader

That is the narrative of the religious but most don't go to learn about what they are doing wrong. They go to find out what other people are doing wrong so they can feel superior and rail against the sin of others. Religion has always been a weapon, it is just easier to wield now.

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I'm not religious myself, but it is true that if you're going to treat something other than religion as though it were a religion, it's almost always going to be much worse.

Most religious prescriptions are either common sense (thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not bear false witness) or recipes to avoid social chaos (thou shalt not commit adultery).

Of course religion has also been wielded as a weapon, and I'm the first in line to cherish western secularization, but I don't see it as an inherently socially harmful force.

Christianity is pretty clear on pulling out the log in one's own eye. Since everybody alive is imperfect we shouldn't spend time criticizing others, beyond something like a friend offering advice or parent correcting a child, or protecting people from others. It also is clear it is not our place to judge others. That is the place of the Father (if Jewish) or the Son (if Christian).

Christianity as practiced is a different matter altogether. The ideal fails when it comes into contact with intrinsic human motivations such as desire for power, status, wealth e.t.c

> Christianity as practiced is a different matter altogether. The ideal fails when it comes into contact with intrinsic human motivations such as desire for power, status, wealth e.t.c

No one (sensible) said following it was easy.

> That is the narrative of the religious but most don't go to learn about what they are doing wrong. They go to find out what other people are doing wrong so they can feel superior and rail against the sin of others.

And this is the narrative of the Extremely Online Atheist. Of the hundreds of religious people I know (though I'm not myself), maybe two fit that description. You are noticing outliers and assuming they represent the entire group.

No, I grew up going to church three times a week. I believe in God but not religion for the reasons mentioned. All my family is religious. They post the most hateful judgmental things on FB. My one cousin is gay and her direct family won't talk to her because she is a "sinner". I don't see the so called Christians acting like Christ and when they do it is mostly on spreading the word. Even the churches and mission that offer free food around here do so only with prayers and sermons as part of the experience.

I think it depends on which Church, which cultural groups, what generation etc. I know the "judgemental Christian" cliché, but I also know it to be very much an American WASP (specifically Evangelical, I think?) stereotype.

To be fair, I know nothing about Christianity outside of the US. Just speaking of those I've interacted with. I'm not sure it is only Evangelicals. Catholics won't even let other Christians take communion. You may say that is theological but it seems pretty judgmental to me, "you are a real Christian unless you are an RC". I won't get into the other institutionalized atrocities wrought at the hands of the RC church.

Catholic Church in Poland does not differ much.

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